Can Vegas Bookies Save Sports?

Don't feel bad, Armando, you're not alone

(NEWSER) - In honor of Armando Galarraga's perfect one-hitter, Salon decided to compile a list of some of the biggest blown calls in history. And we decided that it would be more fun to watch those blown calls than to read about them. So check out this video gallery, and get ready to curse some umps, refs and, if you're English, Diego Maradona. More»

Developer, philanthropist brought NBA, NHL to capital

(NEWSER) - Abe Pollin, the son of Russian immigrants who parlayed success in housing development into the ownership of Washington’s NBA and NHL franchises, died today of a rare neurological disease; he was 85. Pollin’s philanthropic efforts boosted many of the capital’s poorer areas, and he put $220 million of his own money into building the Verizon Center—home of the Wizards and Capitals, and a transformative presence in downtown DC. More»

Dodger-loving reporter donates to charity rather than shaving

(NEWSER) - Chuck Todd isn’t shaving off his goatee, despite having lost a baseball bet to Jake Tapper. The NBC talking head has taken the coward’s way out and will donate to charity instead. Todd was supposed to shed his trademark goatee if the Dodgers lost the NLCS; had they won, his ABC rival would have had to grow some facial hair. But they had an escape clause: Either could opt out and donate $1,000 to charity. Todd will go the extra mile, donating $2,000 to two charities. More»

Even LeBron James makes the list—relatively speaking, of course

(NEWSER) - If you set aside the fact that even the minimum-earning NBA player ($457,558) is still in the top 1% of American earners, you can appreciate that some sports standouts are relatively underpaid. Yahoo! Sports lists some of the biggies:

• Tim Lincecum, MLB, San Francisco Giants: Though he’s set to win a second straight Cy Young Award, he makes nearly 20 times less than another pitcher on his team at $695,000.
• LeBron James, NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers: He’s making the maximum possible—nearly $16 million—and he’s still a steal, considering he saved his franchise.

Grandfather clause doesn't apply to single-game expansion: judges

(NEWSER) - A federal court quashed Delaware’s bid to legalize single-game sports betting today, ruling that the gambling expansion violated a 1992 federal law, the News Journal of Wilmington reports. State lawyers had argued Delaware was exempt from the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act under a grandfather clause, but a three-judge panel ruled the exemption allowed only the kind of gambling permitted before the law was enacted: multi-game “parlay” bets on football. More»